T92 Howitzer Motor Carriage

Howitzer Motor Carriage T92

First T92 HMC pilot vehicle
Specifications
Weight 127,000 lb (58 t)[1]
Length 384 in (9.8 m; 32 ft 0 in)[1]
Width 133 in (3.4 m; 11 ft 1 in)[1]
Height 125 in (3.2 m; 10 ft 5 in)[1]
Crew 8 (Commander, driver, co-driver, 5x gun crew)
Rate of fire 1 round/min[1]
Maximum firing range 25,255 yd (23.093 km)[1]
Armor 25 mm (0.98 in)
Main
armament
 T92: 240 mm howitzer M1
T93: 8-inch Gun M1
Engine Ford GAF; 8 cylinder, gasoline
470 hp (350 kW)
Power/weight 8.1[2]
Suspension torsion bar[1]
Operational
range
 50–80 mi (80–129 km)
Speed 24 km/h (15 mph)

The 240 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage T92 was a self-propelled howitzer developed by the United States of America during World War II. The same mounting with the 8-inch Gun M1 was developed as the T93. Neither were built in significant numbers and the war ended before they could be used in combat.

History

The towed 240 mm M1 howitzer was difficult to use due to its weight. Experience with the 155mm howitzer on the M4 chassis suggested it might be possible to mount it on the Heavy Tank T26E3 (which was formally named "Heavy Tank M26 Pershing" in March 1945) chassis, and that the 8-inch gun could also be mounted as part of a planned "Heavy Combat Team" using the same chassis.[3] The latter was given the designation T93 Gun Motor Carriage.[4]

The chassis needed to be lengthened with addition of an extra road wheel, to give seven each side. The drive sprocket was also moved to the front.

A limited production run ("limited procurement") of four pilot vehicles was ordered in March 1945, and the first was finished in July of that year, only five would be built in total. Two T93 were completed by September. All contracts were terminated with the end of the hostilities.[5]

Service

The trials of the T92 and T93 showed that they would be useful in Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of the Japanese mainland. To this end, special fuses for the shells were developed so they could be used against concrete. The T92s and T93s were being readied for sending to the Pacific War but the Japanese surrender occurred on 14 August 1945.[6]

Preserved vehicles

A surviving T92 is preserved at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, MI.

Variants

T93 GMC prototype, circa 1945

A similar vehicle was also built in conjunction with the T92, the T93 Gun Motor Carriage which mounted the longer 8-inch (203 mm) M1 gun instead of the 240 mm howitzer.

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Maj. Gen. Louis E. Hibbs (July 1946). Col. Devere Armstrong, ed. "Report on the field - Artillery conference" (PDF). The Field Artillery Journal. The United States Field Artillery Association. 36 (7).
  2. ↑ Col. Devere Armstrong, ed. (September 1946). "To the editor" (PDF). The Field Artillery Journal. The United States Field Artillery Association. 36 (9): 549.
  3. ↑ Other members would be the T26E5 Assault Tank, T84 8-inch HMC
  4. ↑ Chamberlain & Ellis, British and American Tanks of World War II Arco Publishing 1969 p161
  5. ↑ Chamberlain & Ellis p161
  6. ↑ Chamberlain& Ellis p161

Bibliography

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